TOA
PAYOH VETS
FAILURE STORY - BIG BREED IN APARTMENT LIVING. CRATE & PEE PAN TOILET TRAINING
Dr Sing Kong Yuen, BVMS (Glasgow), MRCVS
toapayohvets.com
Animal activists may feel shocked that big breeds
like the Golden Retriever are kept in apartments. But
not every person like small breeds and not everyone can
live in landed properties. Besides, 80% of the Singapore
population lives in apartments. So it will be good if
they know how to toilet train the big breed in an
apartment.
Toilet training the big breeds in apartments is best
done using the bathroom as big breeds pee and poops a
lot as they grow up. Crate and pee pan are insufficient
as toilet and sleeping area as the dog's body lengthen.
As an alternative to bathrooms, the kitchen and utility
area or the balcony may be used.
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The couple in their 50s did not know what to do as
this Golden Retriever do eliminate inside the crate
sometimes but not all the time.
SUGGESTIONS
Although 4 weeks had passed, the owner had not fixed
a routine of feeding. The puppy usually poops after
eating and if feeding times are not fixed, the puppy
poops at various times, except in the morning after
breakfast.
Confinement in the kitchen for 2-4 weeks to re-train is
advised as there was no spare bathroom or balcony.
In the end, the big breed needs a bathroom floor. A pee
pan with newspapers (urine smell) may be the next step
after confinement in the kitchen and the use of the
crate as a toilet location.
Some owners find success in using the bigger grate + pee
pan method but I did not want to confuse the couple with
various ideas. They ought to work on the crate as the
toilet as the puppy has been using it and then later,
switch to pee pan. This takes time and perseverance and
patience.
In theory, it is easy for me to propose solutions. In
practice, many times the owner has to spend time doing
it. No easy way.